अविवेकिनमज्ञानमसज्जनरतिं जनम् । चिरं दूरतरे कृत्वा पूजनीया हि साधवः ॥ ५७ ॥
avivēkinamajñānamasajjanaratiṁ janam | ciraṁ dūratarē kṛtvā pūjanīyā hi sādhavaḥ || 57 ||
Translation
Keeping far away for a long time the person without discernment, without knowledge, who delights in the company of the bad, one should honour the good.
Word by word
- avivēkinam
- without discernment
- ajñānam
- without knowledge
- asajjana
- of the bad
- ratiṁ
- who delights in
- janam
- the person
- ciraṁ
- for a long time
- dūratarē
- far away
- kṛtvā
- keeping
- pūjanīyā
- (pūjanīyāḥ) should be honoured
- hi
- indeed
- sādhavaḥ
- the good
Meaning
Two parts of one practice. The verse does not ask for contempt, only for distance. The word pūjanīya, to be honoured, is the same word used of worship, and the commentary says, serve them over a long time. Most of what we become we pick up from those we spend time with, slowly, without noticing, and that is reason enough for the advice.